Monday, 23 December 2013

Hi there and welcome. I hope that everyone is all set for Christmas and able to wind down now and enjoy the festivities.

I was both surprised and thrilled when the Crafts-Too Challenge You team selected my card amongst their Top 3 again in November (having already been included in October - see my previous spotlight piece here). This time I've made some Christmas ornaments for my spotlight - I can't decide which pair of birdies I prefer!

I've used the Sizzix Bigz 'Bird Scroll' die by Brenda Walton for the ornaments. The papers used are Velvet paper by SEI in 'Blaze' and 'Tomato' plus 'Ferro Gold' foil paper. (Each bird and scroll has a matching back and front - I glued the paper sheets to both sides of a sheet of grunge paper and then diecut). Also ran the Birds through embossing folders once they were diecut (Sizzix 'Holly Swirls' and 'Sheet Music'). For further nature related elements I addded sparkled snowflakes, Snow-Tex, branches and jingle bells to emulate the sound of birdsong!

This is my last post prior to Christmas so I'd like to thank everyone for all your visits and wonderful compliments through the year. I wish you a joyous and peaceful Christmas and every happiness in 2014.

Wednesday, 4 December 2013

I was delighted recently to have won at The Artistic Outpost referral programme, and even happier still to select my choice of their gorgeous stamp sets as prize (not easy to choose from fab array!). After lots of deliberation I went for the 'Midwinter' set and now love it. I bet the occupants of this cabin are blissfully content in their isolation.

The top circle is Stardream card cut with a Cheery Lynn die. I stamped the cabin image and embossed with Stampendous 'Twilight' EP. Did lots of frantage for the snow 'blizzard'. Painted gesso for the snowy foreground and coated it whilst wet with Distress glitter in 'Clear Rock Candy'. Also glittered the roof, windows and tree branches. Next inked the circle edges with Versamark and embossed with Judikins 'Silver Twinkle' EP. The two sentiments are from the AO sets 'Midwinter' and 'Snowy Woods' and are embossed as per cabin, silver ringed again and dotted with sparkly gesso. Sentiments also have faint shadow inked snowflakes.

The lower circle is cut using a Noor die. Again I've embossed the edge with 'Silver Twinkle' EP and glittered it too with more 'Clear Rock Candy'. The two circle layers are each propped on cardboard circles and foam tape to heighten dimension.

For the blue 'galaxy' layer I inked white CS with a combination of Distress Inks 'Chipped Sapphire' and 'Stormy Sky', Perfect Pearls mist 'Perfect Pearl' and Distress Stain 'Picket Fence'. I then gave it 3 coats of UTEE for a good thick glaze. Whilst the UTEE was hot I sprinked on silver glass glitter and little stars. Then edged it with Idea-ology silver tinsel.